More metacognition

I thought I'd jot down a few notes about metacognition as I learn more about it myself. First, it's clear that there exists a burgeoning literature about the topic that is theoretical, empirical, and applicable. Second, there are many (for me) surprises to be found in that literature.

I just got Using Reflection and Metacognition to Improve Student Learning, edited by Kaplan, Silver, Lavaque-Manty, and Meizlish. It's a slender, accessible book that, as it's name implies, contains many practical tips, but also covers the history and theory of metacognition.

The second chapter is by Lovett and mostly introduces exam wrappers (a cool idea for another time) but she starts the chapter off with some more general points about metacognition. These were helpful for me, so I thought I'd pass them on.

She starts with Flavell's oft-referenced definition of metacognition: thinking about one's own thinking. She adds two other phrases not typically included: knowledge about one's own knowledge, and learning about one's own learning. These additions highlight the link between metacognition and the actions undertaken by instructors and students. Understanding (and utilizing) metacognition can enhance teaching and learning.

By way of demystifying metacognition, Lovett points out 4 things that metacognition is not:

• It's not one thing (one skill), but a combination of skills, such as planning, reflecting, monitoring, and evaluating.
• You don't learn metacognitive skills by doing one specific thing, but rather these skills develop through practice and feedback (just like any skill).
• Although metacognitive skills can be transferred from one domain to another, they are not transferred automatically. The transfer needs to be pointed out and reinforced. And the more varied the domains are, the more difficult the transfer will be.
• Metacognitive skills are not the same as generic study skills, they need to be learned in the context of a particular domain (or discipline). The most useful metacognitive skills for physics are not the same as for composition, for example.

The insight I gained from this material was that metacognitive skills are similar to any other skills one might want to develop: clear instruction is essential, as is practice in diverse contexts. This seems obvious in hindsight, and maybe this was clear to you from the beginning. If so, good on you.